The Encounter
by MussTariaz
Summary: Mai bumped into a certain someone who reminded her of a painful event in her life


**The Encounter**

It was another hot day in the Fire Nation. The blazing sun delivers heat that pierces the skin and the humid air only makes it worse. It's worst when you're training in this hot day. Beads of sweat run ferociously down her reddened cheeks as she finishes sparring with her brother. A servant quickly hands a towel to each of them and they take it appreciatively. "I nearly got you there!" Kya strikes a conversation.

"That's because I lost focus thanks to that frog-owl that flew by!" He scowls.

"Well, one of the most important things in combat is focus! I thought you knew that already." She says smugly.

He crosses his arms over his chest "Excuse me, who was it who ended up on the ground with her legs captured by ice gloves because she was distracted by a certain pretty boy named – "

The shade of red on Kya's cheeks grow darker "Well, that's because hewas staring!" She scoffs.

"Oh really? I didn't even notice it!" A huge grin appears on Lu Ten's face and the next thing he sees is a wave of water coming his way. At the speed of light, he sends it back to the one who had summoned the water. Laughter escapes his lips when he sees the frowning and soaking wet Kya. "Well, I didn't _nearly _get you but _got _you!"He declares smugly. Kya's deepening frown is telling him he should run before she does anything else.

Giggles and screams break the peaceful surrounding of the palace as they chase one another. Lu Ten turns at a corner and manages to escape from Kya's water whip that is ready to grab his arm. When he turns to head back to his room, his head meets with something soft and silky. He looks up and a pair of slanted golden eyes meets his. Backing away hastily when he hears a scoff, he bows slightly and apologizes. But instead of going straight away to his destination, he finds himself observing the person he's bumped into.

She has a silky, straight jet black hair reaching down her waist. Her raven hair stands out among her pale skin and the blood red dress she is wearing. Even though she is not wearing a tight dress, he could tell she has a slim figure. His gaze goes back to her face again and now he notices her slanted eyes that resemble a wolf's, her high and thin eyebrows, small nose, thin lips, and high cheekbones. A fringe and a strand of her long hair on each side of her face frame her face nicely. The stern expression she is wearing makes her look mysteriously beautiful. Lu Ten's eyes narrow as he tries to recall where he had seen this woman before.

On the other hand, the woman, without having to observe him from tip to toe, already knows who he is. His cerulean eyes and yellowish skin are the only features that betray his otherwise spitting image of a certain man. . .

A man who had once filled her heart.

It has been years since the day the phrase she dreaded to hear escaped his lips. That day, he came out of the meeting room wearing a deep frown on his face so she suggested he should get some fresh air outside the palace with her. To her horror and confusion, he snapped and said things that felt like hot blades to her.

Then the dreadful phrase followed.

As she walked away from him, she was convincing herself that he'd said that out of anger and that he would apologize to her once he got his hot head cooled.

He did come to her later during the day to apologize but what he apologized for was something completely different from her expectation.

"Fine! It's not like I've ever loved you anyway!"

Her words betrayed how she really felt and unfortunately he was not that blind earthbender friend of his who could tell when a person was lying. Indeed, her words were colder than anything he'd ever felt in his life and two hearts were broken that day.

"Lu Ten where are you?" a voice coming from the distance pulls her out of her reverie. Her gaze immediately runs towards the boy's eyes and they reflect gentleness that _his _eyes used to hold before he was physically and emotionally scarred. For a split second, she sees the young _him_ standing before her and she has to physically shake her head to control herself from her halucinating mind.

"Are you okay?" The boy must have seen her shook her head for him to sound concerned and for some strange reason, his voice sends a calming sensation to her. "Would you like me to call a servant to escort you?" the boy asks another question when she doesn't answer.

"No, that's okay." She pulls a soft smile and she herself is shocked at her behaviour. She doesn't smile at any act of kindness but for some strange reason the boy just makes her want to . . . smile. She clasps her hands together and bows curtly at the young boy in which she receives an awkard nod in response. _Now that awkwardness is something he definitely inherits from the man I once loved, _she muses in her mind. A bitter smile creeps up her lips and she continues on her way.

As she leaves, Lu Ten finally recognizes the tall woman he'd bumped into. He had seen her attend a banquet that was held for the officials and their families and he heard the servants and a couple officials whispering that she was once his dad's girlfriend.

_Well, what an encounter! _He sighs mentally as he heads for his room.

xxx


End file.
